Electric switch



Oct. 18, 1932. w. c. TREGONING ELECTRIC SWITCH Filed Jan. 12, 1951 Patented Oct. 18, 1932 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM C. TREGONING, or WAUWATOSA, WISCONSIN, ASSIGNOR To CUTLER-HAMMER,-

INC., on MILWAUKEE, WIsooNsIN, A CORPORATION OF DELAWARE ELECTRIC SWITCH Application filed January 12, 1931. Serial No. 508,037.

This invention relates to improvements in electric switches, and more particularly to switches of the toggle lever type.

An object of the invention is to generally improve and simplify the construction and operation of switches of the aforementioned character.

Another object is to provide a switch of the toggle lever type having a minimum number of parts.

1.'- scope of the appended claims.

In the drawing, Figure 1 is a top plan View of a switch constructed in accordance with my invention.

Fig. 2 is' a vertical sectional view, on the line 22 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a similar view, on the line 33 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a perspective view, in separated relation, of the switch parts shown in Figs. 1,

of the switch, showing one of my improved insulating barrier members applied thereto, and.

Fig. 73s aplan view of the blank employed to form the insulating barrier shown in Fig. 6.

Referring to the drawing, the numeral 10 designates in general a punched and stamped sheet metal supportingand housing member, said member having a flat top wall 11 pro= vided with integral lugs 12 and 13, which lugs are provided with openings 14 and 15, respectively, to accommodate the shanks of suitable attaching screws or the like (not shown). lVall 11 is provided with a centrally located substantially rectangular opening 16,tl1e side walls 16 of said opening being adapted to guide and the end walls 16 of said opening being adapted to limit the oscillating mvement of the upwardly projecting portion 17 of the actuating lever 17 of the switch. The parallel side walls 18 and 19 of member are provided at their lower edges with integral lugs 20 and 21,respectively.

hot molded from a suitable insulating material, such as the phenol-formaldehyde condensation product sold commercially under the trade name of bakelite. Lever .17 is provided'with parallel sides to be guided by the aforementioned walls 16 of opening 16, and formed integrally with said sides of the lever and extending laterally therefrom are a pair of bearing lugs 22 and 23. Said lugs have arcuate upper edges 22*, 23 adapted to underlie wall 11 of housing 10 and arcuate lower edges 22", 23 adapted to bear upon the upper surface of a flat punched insulating base 2 1. As best shown in Fig. 3 the lower edges 22*, 23 are arranged flush with the arcuate lower end of lever 17.

Lever 17 is provided with a cavity 25 which extends throughout the major portion of the length thereof,the dimensions of said cavity being proportional to the external dimensions of the lever. Lever 17 may thus be formed substantially free from burs by a straight line molding operation. The upper end Of lever 17 is grooved, as indicated at The aforementioned lever 17 is preferabl y '17", or otherwise roughened to facilitate I which are bent inwardly to normally engage each other with a predetermined degree of pressure, as indicated'at 29 in Fig. 4.

The punched insulating plate or base 24 is provided with diametrically opposed perforations 31 and 32, said perforations being adapted to permit passage therethrough of the lugs and 21 on housing 10, whereupon said lugs are bent outwardly over the lower face of said base to rigidly and permanently I secure the switch parts in assembled relation.

Base 24 is further provided with a relatively large eccentrically located rectangular perforation 42, the end walls of which are indicated at 42? and 42 in Fig. 5,and slightl spaced from said end walls are a pair of per orations 40 and 41, preferably circular, to provide clearance for the shanks of suitable binding screws. Base 24 is peripherally notched, as indicated at 40, adjacent to the erfor'ation 40; and said notch and perforation may be connected by a relatively narrow slot as shown, the purpose of which is merely to permit joining or uniting of the die elements which form said notch and perforation to strengthen such dieelements.

Attached to the base 24 in the manner illustrated are a pair of combined stationary contact and terminal members 33 and 34. Members 33 and 34 are-each of reflexed form, and

the same are initially formed as indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 2 to permit assembling thereof with respect to base 24, the portion 35 of member 33 being thereupon pressed against the upper surface of said base, and

the portion 36 of member 34 being clamped in position in a like manner. provided with a tapped opening 35'- to receive Portion 35 is the shank of a binding screw 37 which extends upwardly throu h a clearance opening 38 provided in portion 38 and through theperforation 40 in base 24. Portion 36 of member 34 is likewise provided with a tapped opening 36" to receive the shank of a second bind ing screw 37 which extends upwardly through a clearance opening 39" provided in portion 39 of member 34 and through the perforation .41 in base 24.

The connecting portion 44 of member 34 is adapted to lie against the end wall 42 of perforation 42. The reduced connecting portion 43 of member 33 is adapted to seat or lie within the peripheral notch 40 in base 24.

Lugs or corners 38 on portion 38 of member 33 are bent upwardly so as to engage the end 65 wall 42" of perforation 42 to assist in retaining said member against movement relatively to the insulating base. Formed integrally with portion 38 and extending upwardly at right angles thereto is a stud 38 which may be of angular cross section as shown.

In assembling the switch parts the arms 27 and.28 of the contactor will be caused to straddle or embrace the stud 38, with which the contactor will engage in both the circuit making and circuit breakin positions of the latter. Thus as shown in ull' lines in Fig. 2 lever 17 has been moved in a direction to cause the lower ends of arms 27, 28 of contactor 26 to snap into bridging engagement with the members 33 and 34, and said conright hand side ig. 2 of said stud, where- Liv upon the contactor snaps into the dotted line position thereof between stud 38 and the end wall 42 of perforation 42.

If desired an insulating barrier member of the character illustrated at 45 in Figs. 6 and 7 ma be employed. Said member may be forme from a thin punched plate of paperjfiber or other suitable insulating material, the blank being shown in Fig. 7 as provided with openings46 and 47 to accommodate the lugs 21, 22 on housing 10. As shown in Fig. 6 the openings 46 and 47 are brought into longitudinal alinement by bending up wardly or buckling the intermediate portion of the blank (the points of bending being indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 7) whereby the ridge or barrier 48 is positioned between the heads of the two binding screws 37. Said blank is rovided' with slits or cuts 49'and 50 to facilitate such forming operation.

What I claim as new and desire to secure tapped to receive the shank of a binding screw.

2. In an electric switch, in combination, a flat punched insulating base having an opening, a plurality of combined contact and terminal members, each of said members comprising a reflexed metal stri having parallel portions thereof arrange on opposite receive the shank of a binding screw, one of said members having its connecting portion abutting against an end wall of said first mentioned opening, and the other of said members having a stud formed integrally with the lower portion thereof and projecting upwardly through said first mentioned opening in spaced relation to the opposite end wall of the latter.

3. In an electric switch, in combination, a fiat punched insulating base having an open ing, a plurality of combined contact and terminal members, each of said members comprising a retlexed metal strip having parallel portions thereof arranged on opposite faces of said base, the'upper and lower portions of each of said members and said base having registering openings, the openings in each, of said upper portions being tapped to receive the shank of a binding screw, one of said members having its connecting portion abutting against "an end wall of said first mentioned opening, the other of said members having a stud formed integrally with the lower portion thereof and projecting upwardly through said first mentioned opening in spaced relation to the opposite end-wall of the latter, an oscillatable lever having bearing engagement with said base, and a bridging contactor loosely carj ried by said lever, said contactor comprising a reflexed metal spring or clip the arms of which have gripping engagement with said stud, whereby saidcontactor may be moved with a snap action to opposite sides of said stud for engagement with and disengagement from said first mentioned member.

4. In an electric switch, in combination, a plurality of stationary contacts arranged in spaced relation to each other, a stud formed integrally with one of said contacts and projecting therefrom at substantially right angles with respect thereto, an actuating lever, and a bridging contactor loosely carried by said lever, said contactor comprising a reflexed resilient metal strip the free ends of the arm portions of which are bent toward each other to resiliently engage said stud, said free ends having arcuate edge portions, whereby movements of said lever to opposite extreme positions effect snap' movements of said contactor to opposite sides of said stud to respectively engage and disengage another of said stationary contacts.

5. A bridging contactor for electric switches comprising a strip of resilient metal bent to provide a pair of substantially parallel arms, the free ends of said arms being bentvtoward each other, and said ends having arcuate edgeportions each adapted for simultaneous engagement with the spaced contacts of a switch.

6. A bridging contactor for electric switches comprising a piece of resilient metal bent upon itself to provide a pair of similar substantially parallel arms ofgradually increasing width toward the free ends thereof, said free ends being provided with arcuate edge portions whereby the width thereof is reduced, and said free ends being bent into close proximity to each other for resilient engagement thereof with an electrical contact stud and for simultaneous engagement thereof withisaid stud and another electrical contact of the switch.

7. In combination, a bridging contactor for electric switches comprising a piece of resilient metal bent upon itself to provide a pair of substantially parallel arms, the free ends of said arms being bent toward each other and having arcuate edge portions, a stationary contact having a stud with which said contactor is adapted to continuously ongage, and a pivoted actuating lever for said contactor, said lever having a cavity within which the body portion of said contactor is adapted to loosely fit and from which the free end portions of the latter are adapted to project.

8. As an article of manufacture, a blank punched from sheet fiber, said blank having v a relatively wide intermediate portion and oppositely offset relatively narrow end portions with slits therebetween, each of said end portions having a symmetrically arranged perforation,'and said intermediate portion being bendable between its edges to form an insulating barrier and to efiect longitudinal alinement of said end portions of the blank.

9. As an article of manufacture, an insulating barrier member formed from a single punched fiber blank having a relatively wide intermediate portion and oppositely offset relatively narrow end portions with slits therebetween, each of said end portions having a concentrically arranged substantially rectangular perforation, and said intermediate portion being reflexed between its edges to form an insulating barrier and to bring said perforations into longitudinal alinement with each other for cooperation with correspondingly located attaching lugs on a switch base.

10. In an electric switch, in combination, a metal housing of inverted channel shape, said housing having a rectangular opening in the upper wall thereof, an insulating lever having a handle portion extending upwardly through said opening and laterally extending bearing portions adapted to underlie said upper wall, a flat punched insulating base adapted to underlie said bearing portions whereby said lever is retained in position, said base having an eccentrically located substantially rectangular opening, combined contact and terminal members each having parallel portions arranged on opposite faces of said base and in clamping engagement with the latter, one of said members having its connecting portion abutting one end wall of said openlng, the bottom portion of the other member having an integral upstanding .lu spaced from the opposite end wall of sai opening, said insulating lever having a cavity of substantially rectangular form in cross'section, and a bridging contactorloosely seated within said cavit said contactor" comprisinga reflexed meta piece the arms of which are of tapered sides of said stud into and out of engage-- said housing having a rectangular opening form and'the free ends of which are bent toward each other and into gripping engagement with said stud, whereby said contactor is movable with a snap action to opposite ment with said first mentioned contact and terminal member.

11. In an electric switch, in combination, a metal housing of inverted channel shape,

'in the upper wall thereof, an insulating lever having a handle portion extending upwardly throu b said opening and laterally ex- 7 combined contact and terminal members each having parallel portions arranged oiropposite faces of said base and in clamping enagement with the latter, one of said memers'having its connecting portion abutting one end wall of said opening, the bottom portion of the other member aving an integral upstanding lug spaced from the opposite end wall of said opening, said insulating lever having a cavity of substantially rectangular form in cross section, a bridging contactor loosely seated within said cavity,

said contactor comprising a reflexed metal piece the arms of which are of tapered form and the free ends of which are bent toward each other and into ripping engagement with said stud, where y said contactor is movable with a snap action to opposite sides of said stud into and out of engagement with said first mentioned contact and terminal member, and a pair of binding screwsadapted to penetrate alined openings in the lower and upper portions of said members and in said insulatlng base, the openings in said upper portions being tapped for cooperative engagement by the shanks of said screws.

12. In an electric switch, in combination, a metal housing of inverted channel shape, said housing having a rectangular opening in the upper wall thereof, an insulating lever having a handle portion extending upwardly aring portions adapted to under-- ber having an integral upstanding lug spaced from the opposite end wall of said openin said insulating lever having a cavity of su stantially rectangular form in cross section, a bridging contactor loosely seated within said cavity, said contactor comprising a reflexed metal piece the arms of which are of tapered form and the free ends of which are bent toward each other and into gripping engagement with said stud, whereby said contactor is movable with a snap action to opposite sides of said stud into and out of engagement with said first mentioned contact and terminal member, a pair of binding screws adapted topenetrate alined openings in the lower and upper portions of said members and in said insulatlng base, the openings in said upper portions being tapped for cooperative engagement by the shanks of said screws, and an insulatin barrier located between the heads of said binding screws, said barrier comprising a punched plate of fiber having a relatively wide intermediate portion and relatively narrower oppositely ofiset end portions with slits therebetween, said end portions having openings formed therein, said intermediate portion being reflexed between its ed es to provide a rid e or barrier and to longitudinally aline said last mentioned openings for registry with openings formed in said insulating base.

13. In an electric switch, in combination, a relatively thin but substantially rigid insulating base having an opening,- a pair of combined contact and terminal members, each of said members comprising a reflexed metal strip having parallel portions thereof arranged on opposite faces of said base, each of said members also having a portion thereof located within said opening, the upper and lower portions of each of said membersand said base having registering openings, and certain of the openings in each of said members being tapped to receive the shank of a binding screw.

14. In an electric switch, in combination, a relatively thin flat insulating base having an opening, a pair of combined contact and terminal members secured to said base, one of said members having a. portion thereof abutting an end wall of said opening, the other of said members having an integral stud lo- I cated within said ofiening and spaced from the opposite end wall of the latter, an oscillatable lever having a cavity, and a bridging contactor seated Within said cavity and projecting therefrom, said contactor comprising a reflexed metal spring or clip the arms of which have gripping engagement with said stud, whereby said contactor may be moved wlth a snap actlon to opposlte sides of sa1d stud for engagement \vlth and disengagement from the abutting portion of said first men-' tioned member.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto subscribed my name.

WVILLIAM C. TREGONING. 

